Gogol Bordello bandleader Eugene Hutz has been on the road since the Chernobyl meltdown of 1986. After his family was evacuated to western Ukraine, Hutz continued traveling, floating between Hungary, Austria, Poland and Italy before arriving in New York City in 1993. Linking up with other displaced artists and visionary rockers, Hutz has created one of the most original, entertaining and powerful bands of our day. By mixing the spastic energy of punk with the traditional string and folk music of his youth, Hutz and Gogol Bordello straddle two dimensions to bring us immigrant rock music for the new world. Like an Eastern European gypsy wedding for convicts, maniacs, drug addicts and anyone else who likes to have fun, Gogol Bordello put on a live performance that simply can't be beat – and they just so happen to be on tour now [dates available here]. So exactly what is life like for Hutz and his self-proclaimed gypsy punks? Read on to find out...

Name: Eugene Hutz
Band(s): Gogol Bordello
Nicknames: Jarko
Place You Call Home: The yellow line in the middle of the road
Last album to flip your lid: Super Taranta – Gogol Bordello
Album you always take on tour: Sasha Kolpakov

What would someone always find in your van or tour bus? What supplies don't you leave home without?

Full-on traditional Mexican outfit.

What personal rituals do you have to help keep your sanity while on tour?

Besides after-party; gypsy gymnastics, soundchecks and jamming of all sorts.

Speaking of rituals, does the band have a pre-show ritual to help prepare for the stage?

Absolutely; we perform the second movement from the "Jesus Christ Superstar."

Audiences come in all shapes and sizes. What's the screwiest fan encounter you've had?

There is a strange man with grey hair who keeps jumping on stage every night and playing violin. He seems to follow us around to every show; that's obsessive.

What's a great, positive fan encounter you've had?

Best fan experience was champagne backstage with Robert Plant. Works so much both ways! Legendary time for all of us!!

What's the strangest thing you've seen from the stage while performing?

5,000 people yawning simultaneously.

What's the first thing you like to do after a show?

Rock climbing.

Tell us about a great road food stop you've discovered in your travels.

Anything, anywhere in Italy.

If I weren't a musician I'd probably be a (fill in the blank) because (fill in the blank).

If I weren't a musician I'd probably be a film director because it would give me the chance to put musicians I love into films so the world fids out about them.

(Fill In the Blank) are the baddest mothas on the planet.

Stagger Lee and Jesse James are the baddest mothas on the planet.

Your band mates will often reveal strange things about themselves during a tour. What stuff have your fellow musicians shown you that took you aback or delighted you?

I was taken aback by the fact that someone's beard in the band was not real and someone who claims to be black was not black and someone who claims to be a singer was not a real singer.

Name a few things we'd find on your rider.

Bitches and ho's.

What was the musical highlight of your last or current tour and why?

New Orleans, like you need to ask why. It is great to be part of the recovery, spiritual, uniformity. It's the most special town in America and the most special crowd. Peace to the people who do not give up.

Get more at JamBase.com...